tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883551996126668365.post2795924382378643060..comments2024-01-11T21:24:44.379-07:00Comments on A Blog of Tom: How I Defeated the HornetsTom Cantinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06234109728445439457noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883551996126668365.post-90057989863031617832013-05-23T14:41:48.256-06:002013-05-23T14:41:48.256-06:005 words: shop vac filled with water.
It's fun ...5 words: shop vac filled with water.<br />It's fun to watch them on final approach being sucked into the gaping void. (Not referring to Madonna)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883551996126668365.post-30042309704861975532013-05-16T23:17:46.437-06:002013-05-16T23:17:46.437-06:00Late summer they get 'tetchy, and require no p...Late summer they get 'tetchy, and require no provocation for their attacks. Their representative opened hostilities in the summer of 78. There will be no detente, there will be no negotiation. I will strictly enforce my personal No-Fly Zone.walynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883551996126668365.post-79731520416144213642013-05-16T14:55:01.770-06:002013-05-16T14:55:01.770-06:00Not sure on actual stings. Wouldn't surprise i...Not sure on actual stings. Wouldn't surprise if there were, yellow jackets are fairly aggressive. I was stung last year by one in the house although I can't blame the wasp. It was sitting on my desk and I put my arm down on it.<br /><br />When I took out the big nest I took out from the inside the eaves I easily had over a hundred carcasses of wasps that managed to crawl out of the nest. Not sure how many were inside but it was a busy place.<br /><br />You're definitely right about their range of attention. When taking out the one last year I would push the tube into the nest, spray like crazy they retreat up the roof a little over two meters. Angry wasps would swarm out but not notice me that far away.Paul Turnbullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582093331471655375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883551996126668365.post-47562143272364271862013-05-16T14:37:12.637-06:002013-05-16T14:37:12.637-06:00Argh! I thought I'd corrected that, because I ...Argh! I thought I'd corrected that, because I did make a point of distinguishing between yellow jackets and true hornets in a later paragraph. Must've missed the first one in my edits. <br /><br />Two feet, huh? That's huge! Must've been home to six or seven thousand workers, which would certainly lead to a notable neighbourhood population. But was anyone actually stung, to your knowledge?Tom Cantinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06234109728445439457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883551996126668365.post-50161493860773824592013-05-16T14:13:21.944-06:002013-05-16T14:13:21.944-06:00Now that I've got that out of my system. :)
I...Now that I've got that out of my system. :)<br /><br />In our neighbourhood there are wasp nests every year. When they choose my yard I like it when they pick a nice exposed spot but that's rare. A few times they've chosen a spot in my deck and planters that can't be taken apart except destructively and last year they found their way into the eves of my house. Thus my tactics have been primarily chemical warfare using a combination of foaming insecticide and, once the numbers appear to be suitably diminish, foam insulation in a can as deep as I can get it. Seems to be generally effective but definitely easier when I catch them early. <br /><br />A few years back the whole neighbourhood was being terrorized and we nobody could find the nest until one day walking down the alley we spotted it hanging off the corner of a house in a sheltered spot. The nest was over two and half feet long top to bottom. Professionals were contacted for that one.Paul Turnbullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582093331471655375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883551996126668365.post-46013185046796334602013-05-16T14:03:51.715-06:002013-05-16T14:03:51.715-06:00[pedant]Yellowjackets aren't hornets. They'...[pedant]Yellowjackets aren't hornets. They're genus Vespula wheras Hornets are genus Vespa. They're both members of the subfamily Vespinae and the family Vespidae. Technically they're both Wasps.[/pedant]Paul Turnbullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582093331471655375noreply@blogger.com